By Imogen Rhodenhiser, Associate Rector
This past April, I presented my spiritual autobiography as part of our Lenten Wednesday night series. At one point during it, I reflected on my relationship with my spouse, Giles, and wrote, “[i]n our marriage, belonging means holding onto God in one another through personal disagreements, job searches, moving, miscarriage, pregnancy, birth, job loss, and plenty of waiting. In this way, I am learning more than I ever did about God’s fidelity and forgiveness through my relationship with Giles and how we experience God in our learning to love one another well.”
Four days later, it became clear that God was inviting Giles to walk in a new professional direction. An old friend was about to be appointed as a new judge at the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and Giles was in a unique position to use his prior work experience at that same Court not only to help this friend in his new venture, but also to use his legal skills to minister to others and work for the kind of justice and liberation that Jesus proclaimed.
As you can imagine, this movement of the Holy Spirit prompted my own discernment as to where God was calling me as a spouse and as a priest. I have loved being here these past three years. I have loved living by the duck pond and being part of the Little Lambs community as a parent. I have loved teaching and celebrating and playing in this holy place. I’ve learned more than I can even convey to you not only about how to be a priest but about who God is and who I am in God’s sight.
There’s a beautiful pair of verses in Paul’s Letter to the Romans that says, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15). My parting request to you, as God calls me and my family to a new place and a new church community, is that you would commission and send me to do the work God has for me to do next. Whether or not you’re here for my final set of services, I hope you will pray for me and send me into the harvest in love, and I thank you for an incredible three years of worshiping God and growing in faith together.
Yours in Christ’s eternal love,
Imogen+